This young man was taken prisoner in December,
1776. He was a sailor on board the brigantine Dolton. He and his
companions were confined in the Old Mill Prison in Plymouth, England.
Herbert, who was in his nineteenth year, was a prisoner more than two
years. He managed to keep a journal during his captivity, and has left
us an account of his treatment by the English which is a pleasant
relief in its contrast to the dark pictures that we have drawn of the
wretchedness of American prisoners elsewhere. A collection of upwards
of $30,000 was taken up in England for the relief of our prisoners
confined in English jails.
Herbert secreted his journal in a chest which had a false bottom. It
is too long to give in its entirety, but we have made a few extracts
which will describe the treatment the men received in England, where
all that was done was open to public inspection, and where no such
inhuman monsters as Cunningham were suffered to work their evil will
upon their victims.
"Dec. 24th, 1776. We were taken by the Reasonable, man-of-war of 64
guns. I put on two shirts, pair of drawers and breeches, and trousers
over them, two or three jackets, and a pair of new shoes, and then
filled my bosom and pockets as full as I could carry. Nothing but a
few old rags and twelve old blankets were sent to us. Ordered down to
the cable tier.
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